A thousand cans to help the needy

Buy photos » Geoff Harley-Mason and Rev Richard Trethewey with their fantastic collection of 1,021 cans of food. Picture by Jon Mullis 40.012.019.sol.jm2

HARVEST celebrations at Knowle Church have seen over a thousand cans of food collected for people in need.

The 1,021 cans - pictured - were donated by parishioners, children from Rainbow Tots, the church's parent and toddler groups and children from Knowle Primary School.

And now they will be handed over to the food bank at the Karis Neighbour Scheme in Ladywood, Birmingham.

The scheme is a Christian run charity offering help and support - including food parcels - to anyone in need in the community.

Examples of the kind of people the scheme helps include a single dad struggling to feed his 14-year-old son following a marriage break-up, the loss of his other son to gang violence and unemployment.

Another is two young, homeless, ex-servicemen with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder who were not only given food parcels, but also support and help to get them back on their feet.

"We are delighted to have collected so many tins for this fantastic charity, which will make sure they go to people in real need, " said a spokesperson for the church.

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